2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring Car Review

January 6, 2014 ·

Disclosure: STI – The Drive Experience Company provided me with a 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring for this Car Review. I was not financially compensated and all opinions are my own.

Once in a while a car is built that’s so dynamic in design it appeals to just about everyone. My Little Guy is a little over 4 and like most boys his age he’s into cars. But I wasn’t expecting him to fall in love with the top of the line, fully loaded 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring. My review cars are usually returned spotlessly clean. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that the very comfortable back seat with 60/40 split fold-down seatbacks was covered in grass when I handed the Remote Keyless Entry Fob back. I could not keep My Little Guy out of the car! He loved it that much!

I can’t blame him. The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring is everything a sport sedan should be and more. The sophisticated appearance, great gas mileage and laundry list of safety features makes this car a favorite of mine as well!

The Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA) named the 2014 Mazda6 “Best New Vehicle” at the Atlanta International Auto Show in March of 2013. GAAMA President Davis Adams said, “The new Mazda6 has a mix of all the right things for a great car: reliability, outstanding fuel efficiency, stunning design and affordable pricing. It’s just what a car should be for drivers today.”

Behind The Wheel Of The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring

It didn’t take me long to get comfortable driving the Mazda6. Every detail is carefully thought out so every dial and knob is within easy reach. Of course I enjoyed the push-button start. But what I was really crazy about was the tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Call me crazy spoiled but this feature is the best thing since sliced bread.

The heated front seats were very comfortable but took quite a while to warm up. They never reached the toasty temperatures I find so comforting and some folks find downright hot.

There was plenty of storage area throughout the car including a sliding center console armrest and trunk with 14.8 cubic feet of space, which came in very handy during our Christmas travels. More trunk space can be gained by pulling down one of the 60/40 rear seats and voila.

The Audio and TomTom based Navigation System with real time traffic update on the 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring is straightforward and easy to use. The 5.8″ full color touch screen is small but the image quality is crisp allowing an adequate view of what’s behind the car when backing up.

Bose® Centerpoint® Surround Sound System with AudioPilot® 2 and 11 speakers ensures a great listening experience even if you’re hooking up your iPhone via Bluetooth to listen to Christmas music which is what I did the entire week I had the 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring.

The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring’s Safety & Security Features

The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring is packed with almost every safety feature I could want and a few I didn’t even know I needed.

Advanced dual front air bags, front side impact airbags and side-impact air curtains.

Blind Spot Monitoring System (BSM) – This is very helpful in monitoring the blind spots on both sides of the back of the car in a variety of situation such as during lane changes on busy roads or when backing up from a garage or driveway. The BSM can be turned off (which I don’t recommend.) Flashing indicators are located on side view and rear view mirrors.

Lane Departure Warning – This can also be turned on or off. I think it’s a great feature but can be a little distracting. This feature alerts you when it senses the car veering off the road. The lane departure warning is ideal for anyone who works the late shift like I used to do. The moment the car drifts an alarm sounds to alert you. Texting? Shame on you! The lane departure warning will alarm! Hubby and I had a fun time testing this feature out one evening. On a 15-minute drive around town I alerted the system twice. Hubby received numerous alarms on his test drive!

You won’t find a more stylish mid-size sedan with better gas mileage than the 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring. With a 2.5L SKYACTIV®-G gasoline engine, optimized direct fuel injection system and unique regenerative braking system (that creates electricity from wasted energy when you slow down resulting in more horsepower to move the wheels) the 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring boasts an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 28 city/ 40 highway. The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 i Grand Touring MSRP starts at $29,695.

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